Ag confinement case surge results in renewed safety push
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A Purdue University report shows a 40% national increase in reported cases involving agricultural confined spaces, resulting in a renewed safety and management push to reduce deaths and injuries.
The Purdue University Agricultural Safety and Health Program recently released the 2022 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities, which summarizes the frequency and causes of confined space and grain entrapment incidents in the agricultural industry and compares historical context.
“In the summary, an issue we try to point out is the role of out-of-condition grain in grain entrapments,” said Edward Sheldon, a research associate in Agricultural Safety and Health Program and report author, in a news release. “Many entrapments result from someone entering a bin or structure to break loose clumped, spoiled grain. Keep the grain in good condition to eliminate the need to enter the bin.”
The report includes 83 total cases last year, of which 24 were fatal. This is an increase from the 59 cases in 2021. More than half of the cases were grain entrapments, an increase of 44.8% from the previous year. Iowa saw the most cases at 24.
Grain entrapments are the most common agricultural confinement incident. The other 41 happened due to livestock waste handling facilities, entanglements inside confined spaces, falls from confined space structures and grain dust explosions or fires.
The numbers are approximate since limitations in data collecting exist, Purdue said.
The report also includes resources to increase safety protocols and management, like the Gearing Up for Safety program.
“We strongly encourage farmers and agribusiness employers to recognize the hazards presented by confined spaces such as grain bins, silos and manure storage facilities, and use best management practices and effective training programs to keep their families and employees safe,” Sheldon said.